Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk now sits in Jodhpur Central Jail after authorities detained him under the National Security Act (NSA). Officials in Jodhpur, Rajasthan, confirmed the move on September 27, following his arrest in Ladakh the day before.
Wangchuk’s detention comes right in the middle of heated Ladakh protests in Leh, where locals demand statehood for the region and greater protections. Things turned violent on September 24, with protesters setting fire to a BJP office and four people losing their lives in the chaos. Authorities accuse Wangchuk of stirring up the violence. He had been on a hunger strike to push these demands but ended it as the unrest escalated.
Punjab Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains slammed the arrest on Saturday, calling it a blatant attack on democracy. “Wangchuk is the voice of Ladakh, not a criminal,” Bains said in a post on X. He praised the activist’s work to boost education in the region and demanded his immediate release, labeling it a case of “vindictive politics.” Bains added that silencing voices like Wangchuk weakens democracy, not strengthens it.
At the heart of the protests lies Wangchuk’s push to include Ladakh in the Sixth Schedule of the Indian Constitution. This provision protects tribal areas by creating autonomous district councils with their own legislative and judicial powers. Right now, it covers northeastern states like Assam, Mizoram, Tripura, and Meghalaya.
In Leh, tensions remain high. Restrictions under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) are still active, banning gatherings of five or more people and any processions or rallies without official permission. Security forces are out in full force to keep the peace after the recent Ladakh violence.
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